Date:  Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Contact: Jamie Holter, WSDOT Communications, 206-440-4698 (Seattle)
Mike Westbay, WSDOT Communications, 509-728-4712 (Yakima)
Alice Fiman, WSDOT Communications, 360-789-4035 (Olympia)
Jeff Adamson, WSDOT Communications, 509-669-8778 (Wenatchee)

SEATTLE – Four dollar a gallon gas took its toll on holiday travel, as traffic was down about 3 percent this Memorial Day weekend.

WSDOT Web analysis data shows drivers checked our WSDOT traffic pages nearly four million times before they embarked on their trips and made choices that lessened the peak-time traffic crushes on Friday and Monday afternoons. www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/

“We have the data that shows people checked the travel pages and apparently what they saw caused them to change their mind about when to leave,” said Dave McCormick, WSDOT Regional Administrator for Maintenance and Operations. “High gas prices certainly weighed on their decision as well.”

The new data released this afternoon tells the story.

On Snoqualmie Pass:

• 5,000 fewer drivers traveled Friday, May 23
• 400 fewer drivers traveled the pass on Saturday, May 24
• 1,700 fewer drivers traveled the pass on Sunday, May 25
• A total of 6,100 fewer vehicles, 2.7 percent, traveled Friday through Monday

On Highway 16, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge:

• 5 percent reduction on Friday, May 23
• About a 1 percent drop Saturday, Sunday and Monday

On I-5, between Seattle and the U.S./Canada border:

• 3,900 fewer vehicles, or a 3.5 percent drop, from Friday to Monday, with the biggest drops on Sunday and Monday

On I-5, at the Lewis/Thurston county line:

• 2,900 fewer vehicles on Sunday, May 25
• 2,500 fewer vehicles, or a 4 percent drop, on Monday, May 26

“This wasn’t really a surprise,” said Ted Trepanier, State Traffic Engineer. “We recently pulled together some new data about traffic patterns and HOV lane use. It’s clear from our data that the high gas prices are forcing people to change their habits.” Trepanier used the recently updated fuel impact map to prove the point. Drivers may be interested in seeing for themselves the detailed information provided in this report.

www.wsdot.wa.gov/finance/fuelpriceimpacts

Additionally, drivers have been commenting on their driving habits on WSDOT’s blog.

http://wsdotblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-is-rising-cost-of-fuel-affecting.html

Drivers should start planning ahead for the July 4 holiday weekend. The holiday falls on a Friday this year so we expect more drivers to travel. We recommend bookmarking our traffic Web pages now so you don’t forget. www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/

The numbers from Washington mirror national numbers. According to the Federal Highway Administration, the number of miles traveled declined in March 2008 compared to March 2007 – the first time this has happened since 1979 when gas prices also reached historic highs.

www.fhwa.dot.gov/pressroom/fhwa0811.htm

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